Morning journal and courier., 1887-07-12
FAR OFF ALASKA.

Daylight Till Almost Midnight
 1,7OO Miles North from San Francis
 eo-Four New HaYeners in the
 Partys
 SrTKA, June 25.-From Tacoma by steamer Olympian, one hundred souls on board, the trip to Sitka was one never to be forgotten. When we were 1 200 miles north of Portland, Oregon, the Glacier bay and the glaciers were announced at four in the morning by tue gong sounding our approach. All were up quickly and fortified with cup of coffee before landing. Ahead of us for miles amid floating ice could plainly be seen the glaciers for which the steamer was heaoed. But who would conceive that the steamer wonld go so near that the fall of ice from far above us might wreck the steamer if fall it should on our staunch vessels prow while so near ? Here the ice walls rose sheer one hundred and fifty feet high out of the water and ex- tended as much more below the surface of the briny wave down into old oceans depths. Away, far away, stretched the glaciers full three miles in frontage extent. Now having seen them so closely we were glad to put out in order that we might view the glorious, stupendous scene from a safe distance, and what sight it was that met the view of our steamers wondering throng of people. It was sight to finger forever on memory's tablet-never to be efaced. What a crash was that? Three distinct parts of ! the towering mass of ice did fall and what a splash was made, creating tidal waves for g long distance. Thus are fragments of this wall of ice continually falling and filling the bay with floating ice. This ice wall has been surveyed sixty miles onward and there I is still more of it beyond. History makes no mention of it's formation. No historians | dwelt in these parts until perchance in late | years, and the age of this wall goes back far, far into the remote ages.
 The day was of great beauty. And here let me state for the denizens of New Haven who perchance are sweltering in the heat, ' that the mercury recorded 45 degrees. We I were neither baked nor freezing, but endur- I ing bracing temperature as agreeable as any June gives. And now our small boats swung from their | cranes, and the one hundred passengers are Y seated twenty in boat, and we start for land. Stalwart seamen and officers land the passengers The old gentlemen together | with one feshy old lady were literally rolled ! out from the boat from their shoulders, and into it on returning. In front of this glacier three photographers were enthusiastic in en- deavoring to picture the glacier and the crowd of gazers, obtaining sundry specimens in the various positions. Some of the party tired rested half way up the ascent, but scores mounted higher, some on this, others on that prominence. Hours were spent in the most interesting places, and none were dis appointed all wished for more time to view the numerous scenes. As all things come to an end so did this day, although here one cannot tell by the sun when the day is fin ished. The fowls, if they could stand the eli mate here, would be puzzled to know when to go to roost, as it is daylight till almost midnight and morning follows directly after. Our verdict was unanimous. We all had a lo1fo fy71 infn ipn as Yosemite, with all it's solemni- ty and grandeur, although so different. Grandeur and silence were here, also, with this cold, massive, stupendous wall of ice. We had had most satisfactory trip of one thousand seven hundred miles from San Francisco and much five thousand ! miles from the homes of many us. New Ha ven WAS represented by four of it's citizens I and nearly all parts of the Union were repre- | sented, while some were from England, some | from Scotland.
 The tourney from Tacoma was full of in ! terest. We had stoppages-at Seattle three | hours, at Port Townsend two hours, theI ! crossing Puget Sound, where few were ren ! dered seasick by the rough waves. Then \ British Columbia and Victoria were reached l Six hours gave all an opportunity to drive l over the Queens city on Vancouver's Island which was availed of to the gratlhcat1on o1 | all Opposite is the Olympian range of noun. | tains in full vision, with their range of snow capped tops for miles and miles. Directly 1 opposite is Mt. Baker, 10000 feet up, at tho | distance of 150 miles. Mt. Tacoma is in full sight, half it's height covered with snow, anG peering up in conical shape from the height l of 14, 40 feet.
 The inland sea which is embarked upon ii I nothing but rocks and mountains eacl side from one thousand to ten thousand fee
 high each and thickly studded with the best
 of lumber sufficient to supply the whol | world for centuries to come. Now and theI
 is an opening to the ocean with depth un
 fathomable and having no growth of an,
 sort on either side but lumber, no inhabi-
 tants but Indians, and but few of them ex
 cept in cases as at Fort Wrangle, Sitka Imeam, Gold Mines and possibly salmon
 cannery in process of erection. The mos
 civilized Indians are at Chiellocot
 made made by them of cords ant
 selling at forty cents each for curios. Tour
 ists purchase Indian relics at all places ol | the route. Victoria offers the largest assort
 ments. Returning the officials are anxious
 to reach Victoria in order to unite in tn
 Queens jubilee celebration. The steamer 1 hurried forward; the rudder chain break
 three times, but fortunately not in the straits
 but in deep water free from rocks. Had tn
 consequences been serious there is no tellinl
 what might have happened, as communica
 tion is only at long intervals and in water with no soundings or possibility of making
 fast to the rocks.
 interest returning is still rampant; tn
 mountains of snow just as fresh to the eye Victoria, British Columbia, attracts us jus
 as it did when we sailed northward. Tn
 sham battle between marines and infantr
 at Victoria at the Queens jubilee give
 pleasure to all beholders, and the illumina
 tion of her maiesty's ships in the evenin
 was no small affair. On the second da | came boat racing. Our steamer sends sur
 boats headed by the 'tKid" steamer streamin l with flags and band of music on board. Al ! return at sundown with no accident excep
 the wetting of Captain Goodall and BishoI
 Fowler's wife, who were submerged by tn
 breaking of plank while crossing to tE
 shore.
 Bishop Fowler preached to the part
 while on the way homeward Sunday, als'
 gave a most satisfactory lecture upon "Grea
 Men and the Deeds of Great Men" last nigh
 at the opera house in Tacoma.
 Mt. Tacoma is to-day in full view iron
 our windows. Peril Straits we have beel
 through twice. We are now safe in the Ia
 coma House, fully satisfied with the trip o I two weeks at an expense of from ten dollar
 to twelve dollars day beside extras
 What the Yellowstone has in store for u ! we shall find out soon. The New York Her
 aid is before the writer, giving an account o your monument dedication. Said structur
 we hope to see in August. Shall look wit
 interest over the JOURNAL AND CoURIE
 which I have missed during my Alaska trip
 All is life, stir and business here and grea
 competition and the great railroads-th | Northern Pacific, the Canadian Paci6c-ar
 strenuous each to pick up the tourist fo
 their respective routes of travel. It is | wide awake region. M. NAT. SheIIeyss New Success.
 | The many friends of Harry Rowe Shelley l now organist at the Church of the Holy Spirit
 New York city, will be pleased to learn tha
 another of his compositions has met wit
 success at the music teachers conventio